FSU football: Impact of Chris Parson’s commitment to Noles program

FSU football got its quarterback for the 2023 recruiting class, with Chris Parson committing Thursday afternoon.

FSU football is still trying to make up ground by having two transitional recruiting classes in three seasons.

I know it’s a long way until the early signing period for 2022 and even longer for 2023, but I think we may be able to put the notion of FSU not getting quality quarterbacks to bed.

The quarterback position is arguably the most important position on the field. I know some may argue it’s the offensive line, but I know a good quarterback can make an average offensive line look great.

Good to great quarterback play can get you “over the hump” quicker than any other position. I’ll say it time and time again, but that’s how Dabo Swinney bypassed Jimbo Fisher.

Swinney began to hit on elite quarterbacks (and wide receivers) before the recruiting in the trenches caught up.

I’m not saying that’s the approach Mike Norvell should take, but it’s notable. However, I should point out Norvell is addressing the quarterback position and the offensive line.

I normally don’t write about recruits two years out, but quarterback recruiting is a different animal. The commitment of Chris Parson does a lot of things for the Noles, and here is how it’ll impact the FSU football program.

Recruiting

Most times having a blue-chip quarterback committed to a program helps draw other talented players to the class.

We’ve already seen the recruiting prowess of AJ Duffy and how that got the attention of two top 100 playmakers.

Parson committing this early gives him a big head-start on shaping the 2023 class. The good news is he already has two playmakers committed, and FSU is in a solid position with several others.

Parson ranks as a composite three-star, but I expect that ranking to improve, and with that, more leverage with higher-caliber players.

I’m sure the coaching staff will provide a list of targets for him to establish communication.

FSU has four commits for the 2023 recruiting cycle, and improvement on the field in 2021 could signal an epic 2023 recruiting class.

Parson Fits Mike Norvell’s Offense Like A Glove

The only knock on Chris Parson is his size at the moment. The good thing is he just celebrated his 17th birthday Thursday while committing to the Noles.

He probably has some growing left to do. Most people will look at his size and conclude he’s a dual-threat quarterback who looks to run first instead of pass.

However, Mike Norvell prefers quarterbacks that can throw first, while having the ability to run is a bonus.

Parson fits that to a tee as he always looks to make the throw first, keeping his eyes downfield while moving in the pocket.

If he has to take off and run, he’s capable of doing that well and has a good feel for when to do it.

Parson has a live arm and can make all of the throws as a 16-year old. I can only imagine what he could develop into as he matures physically and gains more experience.

When he sets his feet and delivers the ball, it’s usually on target and gets there in a hurry. He displays the ability to put the touch on certain passes and throws well on the run.

One thing that he needs to clean up is the propensity to throw off of his back foot at times. Sometimes having a strong arm is a gift and a curse. There are times in the video where he chucks the ball downfield for a long completion.

However, in college, those throws will likely become interceptions. This is an excellent commitment for Mike Norvell and the Noles. I suppose it’s just more of that fake momentum Manny Diaz was talking about last month.!